Rick Fox net worth: The money behind Echo Fox esports

Former NBA basketball player and part-time actor Rick Fox isn’t exactly what you would expect a esports franchise owner to look like, but the Echo Fox owner has the time and resources to invest in the emerging competitive gaming industry.

Fox started out as a basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers, while he has also starred in a number of television series and movies. However, he has taken a different route in recent years, rebranding himself as one of the star investors in the esports industry.

Since purchasing North American League of Legends team Gravity Gaming, now rebranded as Echo Fox, in 2015, Fox has taken the team to the big leagues in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros, Mortal Kombat and Call of Duty.

Echo Fox currently competes in a total of 13 games. The organisation is expected to enter more competitive scenes in the future.

Rumours circulated last year that an Echo Fox Overwatch League could be on the cards after Rick Fox was spotted in OWL apparel. Likewise he has also confirmed that the organisation is scouting for Fortnite players following Epic Games’ $100m prize pool announcement.

Fox told TMZ earlier this year:

“Our ears have been to the ground there, and our front office has been completely on top of finding the talent that would represent Echo Fox in a Fortnite setting.”

With Fox so willing to jump on the next esports trend, we can assume he’s seeing return on his investment. But how much has he made from esports so far and what is the Rick Fox net worth?

Rick Fox’s esports investment

Fox initially paid $1 million to purchase Gravity Gaming, but under his guidance the organisation has grown considerably.

While it’s impossible to value the organisation without knowing how much revenue it generates, it is likely worth many millions more, given the growth of NA LCS and it’s success in other titles.

It’s hard to say whether Echo Fox has turned a profit since 2015. This was definitely an investment for the future and esports still has a long way to go until I reaches its full potential. However, the organisation has provided some return on investment.

According to Esports Earnings, Echo Fox has won close to $1m in prize money.

Likewise, Fox’s sports ties have served him well. Last year he sold a portion of his esports venture to famed baseball side the New York Yankees. The two parties didn’t make the financial details public. However, it seems likely that Fox earned back his initial investment through the sale.

Of course, Riot’s decision to franchise NA LCS ahead of the 2018 season meant that Fox had to invest another $10m for a franchisee license, which guarantees Echo Fox’s position in the league.

It was a huge investment, but it showed that Fox is committed to his investment and is confident of the industries success. Of course, after a long career at the top of professional basketball, he has more than enough funds to gamble on the future of esports.

Rick Fox net worth

Fox spent 13 years playing at the highest level in the NBA. That included seven years with the LA Lakers, arguably the best team in basketball at the time.

His time in basketball likely earned him a large fortune and he has invested it well following his retirement.

Fox has spent big on esports, but he still has plenty more to invest. It’s impossible to say just how much the former athlete is worth. However, Final Kill estimates the Rick Fox net worth at somewhere between $20m and $25m.